Written Answers Tuesday 3 February 2009

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of offences was committed when the offender was under the influence of alcohol in 2007-08, broken down by category of offence.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of offences committed when the offender was under the influence of alcohol is not held centrally.

  Data available for crimes/offences related to alcohol is where the involvement of alcohol is implicit in the offence, such as drunk driving etc, drunkenness, contravention of liquor licensing laws, offences by Licensed Persons and consumption of alcohol in designated places prohibited by byelaws.

  The annual Prisoner Survey, carried out by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), asks prisoners if they were "drunk at the time of their offence". In the Prisoner Survey for 2008, the latest year for which information is available, 49 per cent of prisoners claimed to be drunk at the time of their offence (Prisoner Survey 2008, SPS Research Bulletin, October 2008). This compares with figures for 2006 and 2007 of 44 per cent and 45 per cent respectively. Please note that it is not possible to break the figures down further by category of offence. It should also be noted that the information is based on self report from prisoners themselves.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 in each of the last two years, broken down by category of (a) offence and (b) emergency worker.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following table. Scottish Government Court Proceedings data does not contain information about the type of emergency worker.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts Under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 20051, by Category of Offence, 2005-06 to 2006-07

  

Charge
2005-06
2006-07


Emergency workers (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 1(1)
11
45


Emergency workers (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 2(1)
14
73


Emergency workers (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 3(1)
0
3


Emergency workers (Scotland) Act 2005 Section 5(1)
29
79


Total
54
200



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have not provided a bowel screening programme and whether the national programme will be rolled out across Scotland by the end of 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Bowel Screening Programme is being phased in across the health boards. Nine health boards are already providing this service. All health boards will be delivering the programme by the end of 2009.

  The current expected dates that screening will start in each NHS board can be found at:

  http://www.bowelscreening.scot.nhs.uk/?p=1.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the introduction of community alcohol partnerships of the kind established in areas like St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19077 on 15 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Justice

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any differences in the way in which courts in Scotland handle extradition matters compared with courts in England and Wales and, if so, what the differences are.

Kenny MacAskill: Although extradition is a reserved matter, the Extradition Act 2003 confers certain functions on the Scottish ministers; accordingly, requests for the extradition of a person resident in Scotland are dealt with by them if the country seeking extradition is designated as a category 2 territory. Category 2 territories are certain designated, non-EU, countries.

  The procedures for extradition in Scotland are very similar to those England and Wales. However, slight differences exist because of the separate legal systems and where necessary the Extradition Act 2003 makes explicit provision accounting for these differences. For example, sections 26 to 34 and sections 103 to 116 of the 2003 act provide for appeals against decisions to extradite to category 1 and category 2 territories respectively. In England and Wales an individual may be able to appeal an extradition decision to the High Court, and that decision may be appealed to the House of Lords. Extradition decisions in Scotland may be appealed to the High Court of Justiciary (the highest criminal court in Scotland), and there is no right of appeal to the House of Lords.

  There is a further practical difference in respect of Scottish proceedings which occurs as a result of the provisions in the Scotland Act 1998. Under Schedule 6 of that act, a person may raise a devolution issue in respect of (among other things) a question of whether or not the exercise of functions by the Scottish Executive would be compatible with their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. Decisions on devolution issues may be referred not only to the High Court of Justiciary, but also the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

  Section 226 of the 2003 act specifies certain of the 2003 act provisions which are limited in extent to various parts of the UK. For further information on the application of specific sections in each of the jurisdictions of the UK, reference should be made to the provisions of the act itself.

Legislation

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many legislative consent motions, formerly Sewel motions, have been approved by the Parliament in each year since 1999.

Bruce Crawford: The information requested is set out in the following tables.

  Sewel Motions by Parliamentary Year - Session 1

  

 
Sewel Motions


12 May 1999 – 11 May 2000
10


12 May 2000 – 11 May 2001
15


12 May 2001 – 11 May 2002
7


12 May 2002 – 31 March 2003
9


Total Session 1
41



  *These figures differ from those in Scottish Parliament Fact Sheet FS4-06 (9 January 2008) and have been adjusted to enable a direct comparison with subsequent years. The adjusted figures represent a separate motion for each relevant bill. Initial practice in the Parliament was to allow one motion to cover more than one bill. The fact sheet figures are seven and 16 respectively.

  Sewel Motions / Legislative Consent Motions by Parliamentary Year - Session 2

  

 
Sewel Motions/LCMs*


7 May 2003 - 6 May 2004
13


7 May 2004 – 6 May 2005
9


7 May 2005 – 6 May 2006
8 (+2 memoranda**) 


7 May 2006 - 2 April 2007
8 (+1 memorandum**)


Total Session 2
38 (41 memoranda)



  Notes:

  *Chapter 9B of Standing Orders, setting out the new LCM procedure and replacing Sewel Motions, was inserted on 30 November 2005.

  **There were three instances in which Legislative Consent Memoranda were required to be lodged in accordance with Standing Orders, but no Legislative Consent Motion resulted.

  Legislative Consent Motions by Parliamentary Year - Session 3

  

 
LCMs


9 May 2007 – 8 May 2008
8


9 May 2008 – Present
2


Total Session 3 to date 
10

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposal to remove the microbiology laboratory from the Vale of Leven Hospital to a central location will be subject to (a) public consultation and (b) ministerial approval.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is right that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde consider options to maintain and develop modern, efficient and effective laboratory services in the best interests of patients, and that these options are subject to appropriate engagement with stakeholders.

  Any decision to close existing laboratory services at the Vale of Leven Hospital would ultimately be subject to my approval and I would have to be convinced by robust evidence that such a move was in the best interests of patients and local people.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for the winter at Monklands Hospital took into account the closure of 23 orthopaedic beds and 16 surge beds.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have stated that they have not closed any orthopaedic beds at Monklands Hospital.

  NHS Lanarkshire has a comprehensive system-wide winter plan. All hospitals operate as an emergency clinical network during periods of peak activity. In December, Monklands achieved 98% against the four hour accident and emergency target with a performance of 97% in January.

  Previously, there were a total of 16 surge beds in Monklands used between December and March. Four of these were in renal with another 12 in Ward 11. However, only eight of these were used. Over the years it became clear that surge capacity was required for patients requiring enhanced discharge support rather than acute care on a hospital site. NHS Lanarkshire therefore took the decision to allied health professions staffing and now use up to 12 beds in this facility for this group of patients.

  NHS Lanarkshire have stated that these arrangements provide adequate capacity through the winter period.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the practice of removing patient information from monitoring screens in order to meet four-hour targets ceased at Monklands Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have stated that they do not, and have never, removed patient information from monitoring screens.

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what transfer of financial resources there has been from prison to community sentences and prevention of crime since May 2007 and what effect this has had on the projected prison population.

Kenny MacAskill: None. Because of the required investment to make up for decades of neglect in the prison estate by previous administrations, and the unprecedented prisoner numbers, it has not been possible to transfer financial resources.

Prison Service

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of transferring 100 prisoners from HMP Kilmarnock to other parts of the prison estate.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of transferring a convicted offender who would otherwise have been remanded in custody or served a sentence at HMP Kilmarnock to another part of the prison estate in an attempt to reduce the population at HMP Kilmarnock.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19827 on 28 January 2009, which sets out how the costs of prisoner escorts are calculated.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Prison Service

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to reduce the number of prisoners in HMP Kilmarnock.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  HMP Kilmarnock is contracted to provide the SPS with 500 prisoner places and has been over capacity due to record high prisoner numbers. Following the slight drop in prisoner numbers in recent months and the opening of HMP Addiewell the SPS, for operational reasons, have reduced the prisoner numbers held in HMP Kilmarnock and thus lowered the level of overcrowding there.

Scottish Futures Trust

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to report to the Parliament on the progress of the Scottish Futures Trust.

John Swinney: I have stated that I would keep Parliament informed about the progress of the Scottish Futures Trust. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19803 on 23 January 2009, when I announced the appointment of the two remaining non-executive directors to the board of the Scottish Futures Trust.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students (a) qualified for and (b) received means-tested loans in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) assessed income, (ii) amount received, (iii) independent or dependent status and (iv) whether they are studying at college or university.

Fiona Hyslop: Tables 1 to 3 show students who applied for and were assessed as entitled to means-tested maintenance loans in academic years 2005-06 to 2007-08 broken down by institution type and parental/spousal income.

  Table 1: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Institution Type and Income 2005-06

  

Income
Higher Education Institution
College
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
6,180
9,831
2,680
4,184
8,885
14,076


£10,000 - £19,999
8,120
12,437
2,520
4,152
10,655
16,627


£20,000 - £29,999
7,955
14,881
1,785
3,390
9,755
18,309


£30,000 - £39,999
7,220
13,031
1,215
2,179
8,450
15,239


£40,000 - £49,999
4,815
5,191
650
640
5,475
5,839


£50,000 and above
1,660
1,681
110
123
1,780
1,813


Income not declared/required
1,600
2,677
950
1,523
2,560
4,230


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
8,990
28,681
5,785
19,864
14,835
48,739


Total
46,540
88,409
15,700
36,056
62,395
124,872



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  The "Total" columns contain a small number of students attending other institution types.

  Table 2: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Institution Type and Income 2006-07

  

Income
Higher Education Institution
College
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
5,680
9,151
2,390
3,896
8,090
13,110


£10,000 - £19,999
7,615
11,947
2,300
3,919
9,930
15,900


£20,000 - £29,999
7,250
13,699
1,560
3,006
8,830
16,752


£30,000 - £39,999
6,780
12,949
1,140
2,187
7,935
15,166


£40,000 - £49,999
4,800
5,455
580
627
5,395
6,106


£50,000 and above
1,900
1,839
155
153
2,055
1,997


Income not declared/required
1,575
2,680
815
1,450
2,400
4,155


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
8,850
29,012
5,800
20,506
14,700
49,667


Total
44,450
86,733
14,740
35,744
59,340
122,854



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  The "Total" columns contain a small number of students attending other institution types.

  Table 3: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Institution Type and Income 2007-08

  

Income
Higher Education Institution
College
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
5,305
8,648
2,155
3,613
7,480
12,312


£10,000 - £19,999
7,245
11,467
2,065
3,667
9,330
15,177


£20,000 - £29,999
6,645
12,588
1,475
2,890
8,135
15,511


£30,000 - £39,999
6,315
12,686
1,100
2,171
7,430
14,893


£40,000 - £49,999
4,840
5,857
595
683
5,450
6,554


£50,000 and above
2,225
2,222
170
158
2,400
2,389


Income not declared/required
1,355
2,356
705
1,255
2,065
3,625


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
9,040
30,224
6,125
22,245
15,210
52,629


Total
42,975
86,047
14,390
36,682
57,500
123,091



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  The "Total" columns contain a small number of students attending other institution types.

  Tables 4 to 6 show students who applied for and were assessed as entitled to means-tested maintenance loans in academic years 2005-06 to 2007-08 broken down by status, i.e. whether they are independent from their parents or not, and parental/spousal income.

  Table 4: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Status and Income 2005-06

  

Income
Dependent
Independent
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
8,040
11,230
845
2,846
8,885
14,076


£10,000 - £19,999
9,590
13,057
1,065
3,570
10,655
16,627


£20,000 - £29,999
8,990
16,095
765
2,214
9,755
18,309


£30,000 - £39,999
8,130
14,614
320
625
8,450
15,239


£40,000 - £49,999
5,370
5,733
105
106
5,475
5,839


£50,000 and above
1,770
1,805
5
8
1,780
1,813


Income not declared/required
2,195
3,007
370
1,223
2,560
4,230


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
 
 
14,835
48,739
14,835
48,739


Total
44,085
65,541
18,310
59,330
62,395
124,872



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  Table 5: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Status and Income 2006-07

  

Income
Dependent
Independent
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
7,310
10,466
780
2,644
8,090
13,110


£10,000 - £19,999
8,935
12,425
1,000
3,475
9,930
15,900


£20,000 - £29,999
8,090
14,530
735
2,222
8,830
16,752


£30,000 - £39,999
7,600
14,468
335
698
7,935
15,166


£40,000 - £49,999
5,310
6,003
90
104
5,395
6,106


£50,000 and above
2,040
1,980
15
17
2,055
1,997


Income not declared/required
2,040
2,925
360
1,230
2,400
4,155


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
 
 
14,700
49,667
14,700
49,667


Total
41,320
62,796
18,015
60,058
59,340
122,854



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  Table 6: Students Assessed as Entitled to Means-Tested Loans and Assessed Amounts by Status and Income 2007-08

  

Income
Dependent
Independent
Total


Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)
Number of Students
Amount (£000)


< £10k
6,755
9,805
725
2,507
7,480
12,312


£10,000 - £19,999
8,445
12,091
880
3,086
9,330
15,177


£20,000 - £29,999
7,440
13,344
690
2,167
8,135
15,511


£30,000 - £39,999
7,100
14,149
330
744
7,430
14,893


£40,000 - £49,999
5,335
6,412
115
141
5,450
6,554


£50,000 and above
2,375
2,369
25
21
2,400
2,389


Income not declared/required
1,755
2,535
310
1,090
2,065
3,625


Exempt from Parental/Spousal Contribution
 
 
15,210
52,629
15,210
52,629


Total
39,210
60,705
18,290
62,386
57,500
123,091



  Source: Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

  Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Monetary amounts have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are quoted in thousands.

  All six tables contain details of students who were assessed as entitled to means-tested loans i.e. either the means-tested maintenance loan and/or the additional means-tested maintenance loan. Income bands are based on residual parental or, in the case of students who are married or in a civil partnership, spousal income. This is income after deductions allowed by SAAS have been subtracted.

  Students apply to SAAS for loans. SAAS calculates a student’s loan entitlement and the Student Loans Company (SLC) extends the loan. The figures in the tables relate to entitlements rather than amounts taken out with the SLC. The majority of students (99% of full-time students) go on to take out almost all (97-98%) of the total entitlement calculated by SAAS.

Student Finance

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loan debts in (a) numerical and (b) cash terms have been sold to other agencies in each of the last 10 years and which agencies now have ownership of these debts.

Fiona Hyslop: Details of how many student loan debts in numerical and cash terms that have been sold to other agencies and who now has ownership of these debts are shown in the following table:

  

Sold to
Date of Sale
UK


Number of customers (rounded to nearest 100)
Debt Sold £ Public info (see Student Loans SFR)


FFHE1
24-03-1998
448,900
1,022,000,000


HTL2
23-03-1999
388,500
1,030,000,000



  

Sold to
Date of Sale
Scotland Domiciled


Number of customers (rounded to nearest 100)
Debt Sold £


FFHE1
24-03-1998
49,700
110,186,868


HTL2
23-03-1999
42,700
110,000,779



  Notes:

  1. FFHE stands for Finance for Higher Education Ltd which is owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

  2. HTL stands for Honours Trustee Ltd which is owned by a consortium of Deutsche Bank, Nationwide.

  3. Figures provided by the Student Loans Company.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students receive the full Young Students’ Bursary, broken down by assessed income.

Fiona Hyslop: The table below shows students who received the maximum amount of Young Student’s Bursary in academic year 2007-08 broken down by parental/spousal income.

  

Income band
Number of Students


< £5,000
2,860


£5,000 - £9,999
4,820


£10,000 - £14,999
5,040


£15,000 and above
3,385


Income not declared/required
1,940


Exempt from parental/spousal contribution
485


Total
18,535



  Note: Student numbers have been rounded up or down to the nearest five.

  Income bands are based on residual parental or, in the case of students who are married or in a civil partnership, spousal income. This is income after deductions allowed by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) have been subtracted.